LOUISIANA TECH 2024-25 BULLDOG BASKETBALL
All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change # Icons of the Game (Long Island, N.Y.) ^ Gulf Coast Showcase (Estero, Fla.) * Conference USA game | $ Huntsville, Ala.
A LA TECH WIN... • Would snap a three-game losing streak to Sam Houston. • Would give the Bulldogs their 90th home win since the 201819 season. LA Tech is 89-15 in the TAC in the last 6+ seasons. • Would give the Bulldogs their 10th home victory this season. LA Tech has won double-digit home games in 12 of its last 13 seasons.
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AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 117
VS SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS (8-13, 1-7 cusa) Head Coach: Chris Mudge Record at SHSU: 29-25 (2nd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. LA Tech: 2-0
AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 201
BULLDOG STORYLINES & PROJECTED STARTERS
• LA Tech won its seventh straight home game by defeating league-leader Middle Tennessee, 75-69. Down four with under five minutes to go, the Bulldogs finished the contest on a 16-6 run. The ‘Dogs will look to sweep their three-game home stand when facing the Bearkats on Saturday.
4 SEAN NEWMAN JR.
• Louisiana Tech looks to extend its home winning streak when the Bulldogs host Sam Houston on Saturday inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court. It is the annual Throwback Game as LA Tech will wear its baby blue throwback uniforms while also recognizing the 1984-85 team, led by Karl Malone, that won 29 games and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
10.0 ppg | 2.2 rpg | 9.0 apg
• Sean Newman Jr. nearly had a double-double against MTSU with 13 points and eight assists. He continues to rank second in the country in both total assists (190) and assists per game (9.0). He has dished out at least eight assists in 14 of the 21 games this season. Meanwhile, his scoring output came primarily from the free throw line where he went 9-of-9. He has now made 27 consecutive free throws, the most by a Bulldog since Jacobi Boykins made 33 straight in 2017. He ranks second in free throw percentage in CUSA at 84.4 percent (has made all 25 free throws during league play). • Kaden Cooper tallied his third double-double of the season with 16 points (14 in the second half ) and a career-high 13 rebounds. He leads the team and ranks fourth in CUSA in boards per game (8.0), having led the Bulldogs in 13 of their 21 games. He also ranks first in CUSA and 38th in the country in defensive rebounds per game (6.24). • Talvin Hester is in his third season at the helm at LA Tech. In his second year, Hester was able to blend in seven newcomers in route to a 22-win season and a second-place finish in CUSA. He will be tasked with the same thing as seven newcomers join the 2024-25 squad, mixed in with six returners (five of which made a combined 67 starts last season). • LA Tech was picked to finish first in the Conference USA preseason poll, as voted on by the league head coaches. It was definitely not unanimous as five of the 10 conference teams picked up at least one first-place vote and the top three were separated by only four points. This marks the first time since 2014 that the Bulldogs are preseason league favorites.
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AMAREE ABRAM
• Daniel Batcho recorded his fourth double-double of the season against Middle Tennessee. In doing so, he led LA Tech in scoring for a fourth straight game with 25 points while also tying his season high of 12 rebounds. He is currently the only player in the country averaging at least 19 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks per game. The nation’s leader in field goal percentage at 73.2 percent went 9-of-13 from the field versus the Blue Raiders while also going 7-of-8 from the foul line. He ranks first in CUSA and top 20 in the country in both free throws attempted (152) and free throws made (114). The power forward is averaging 5.9 fouls drawn per game.
1
• LA Tech shot 78.6 percent from the foul line, marking the 15th time this season they have shot at least 70 percent from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs made 22 free throws against the Blue Raiders, marking the sixth time with 20+ in a game. They are averaging 30.7 free throw attempts over their last three games. Their currently percentage of 74.8 would be the best in program history (record is 74.2 set back in 1976-77).
11.8 ppg | 4.8 rpg | 1.9 apg
KADEN 11 COOPER
Overall: 15-6 | CUSA: 4-4 | H: 9-1 | A: 2-5 | N: 4-0 NOVEMBER MEDIA W/L SCORE 4 LSU-ALEXANDRIA ESPN+ W 77-50 9 at UT Arlington ESPN+ W 92-77 13 vs. UMass# MSG+ W 76-66 18 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE ESPN+ W 105-67 25 vs. Southern Illinois^ FloCollege W 85-79OT 26 vs. Richmond^ FloCollege W 65-62 27 vs. Eastern Kentucky^ FloCollege W 78-69 30 SOUTHERN ESPN+ L 70-73 DECEMBER 4 at #16 Memphis ESPN+ L 71-81 8 at UL-Lafayette ESPN+ W 69-58 13 GEORGIA SOUTHERN ESPN+ W 77-63 16 GRAND CANYON ESPN+ W 74-66 21 RUST COLLEGE ESPN+ W 108-60 JANUARY 2 at UTEP* ESPN+ L 60-70 4 at New Mexico State* ESPN+ L 48-78 9 FIU* ESPN+ W 81-64 11 LIBERTY* ESPNU W 79-74 16 at Jacksonville State* ESPN+ L 61-63 18 at Kennesaw State* ESPN+ L 76-78 23 WKU* CBS SN W 77-67 25 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* ESPNU W 75-69 FEBRUARY 1 SAM HOUSTON* ESPNU 3 p.m. 6 at Liberty* CBS SN 7 p.m. 8 at FIU* ESPN+ 1 p.m. 13 KENNESAW STATE* ESPN+ 6:30 p.m. 15 JACKSONVILLE STATE* ESPN+ 3 p.m. 20 at Middle Tennessee* CBS SN 8 p.m. 22 at WKU* ESPN+ 7 p.m. MARCH 1 at Sam Houston* ESPN+ 4:30 p.m. 6 NEW MEXICO STATE* ESPN+ 6:30 p.m. 8 UTEP* ESPN+ 2 p.m. 11 CUSA Championship$ ----- TBA
Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 52-34 (3rd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. SHSU: 0-2
11.2 ppg | 8.0 rpg | 1.5 spg
0
2024-25 SCHEDULE
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (15-6, 4-4 cusa)
DEVIN REE
DATE/TIME: Saturday, Feb. 1 | 3 p.m. CT LOCATION: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.) SERIES HISTORY: LA Tech leads, 5-4 STREAK: Sam Houston, 3 LAST MEETING: March 7, 2024 | Ruston, La. Sam Houston 72, LA Tech 66 MEDIA: ESPNU | ESPN+ TALENT: David Saltzman (pxp), John Williams (analyst) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats
GAME 22 MATCHUP
5.3 ppg | 3.5 rpg | 0.3 apg
DANIEL 13 BATCHO
GAMEDAY INFO
19.0 ppg | 7.0 rpg | 2.1 bpg
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